"Luca, why are you so upset?" Amaryllis asked, sitting on the bed next to him. Luca looked at her, his eyes full of sadness, pain, and anger, but didn't respond.

"Please talk to me, Luca," Amaryllis begged. He was the only one who wouldn't speak to her.

"He's a fucking monster, Ames. He keeps humans as fucking pets. He tortures and oppresses us and here you are, in love with him!"

Amaryllis shook her head. "He's not a monster Luca. He's kind and gentle with me. I know it may not seem like it to you, but he loves me. He doesn't kill humans either. I know we aren't free under him, but he treats the humans well here. He makes sure they are properly cared for. He has laws in place to protect us."

Luca laughed maliciously and shook his head. "You don't understand."

"Tell me then Luca! What do I not understand? I was almost beaten to death by a vampire when I was 15. I was taken here, horrified about the rumors because we were told the humans were used and then killed here. I know what it's like to live in a world where humans aren't the top predator. I do understand! But he also deserves credit where credit is due. Everyone thinks of him as a monster, and maybe they are right to some degree, but he protects humans as well. He's not evil."

Ulric did have a monstrous reputation and some of it was deserved. For example, how he executed the traitors just days ago and how he dealt with his previous mate. However, he wasn't evil. He cared about Amaryllis deeply and he would sacrifice his own life for her, and anyone else in the Kingdom. He was courageous, and loyal, and a fierce protector.

Luca seemed shocked by her exclamation and the anger in his eyes seemed to falter. "I know you don't understand," she started. "You don't have a mate. It's not like a human relationship. It's so much more than that. He is my other half, Luca. I can't imagine my life without him," she said, her voice laced with affection for her mate.

"I don't know if I'll ever understand, but I'm sorry for how I've treated you," Luca said as he stared at his sister apologetically.

"It's okay," Amaryllis said.

"It's not," Luca shook his head. "I was angry, I'm still not exactly happy, but I shouldn't have directed it toward you. I will try to be more open about your... relationship."

"Thank you, Luca."

Luca stood up and pulled Amaryllis into his arms, happy to finally be reunited with his little sister after months. Even as children the siblings were very close and it pained him to be separated from her for so long, not knowing if she was dead or alive.

"I love you," he said and spun her around.

She giggled, "I love you, too."

"Can I see where you live?" Luca asked. He wanted to know everything about his sister's new life, even if he didn't particularly like it.

"Yes," Amaryllis said and grabbed his arm to pull them out of Luca's room in the suite. Her parents were making lunch for themselves in the kitchen when they passed by.

After walking through the hallways, they arrived at the double doors and Amaryllis pushed them open. She walked in first and Luca followed behind.

Ulric came out of the bedroom at the same time Luca and Amaryllis walked in. His wet hair was a disheveled, sexy mess on the top of his head. He looked between her and her brother in confusion. Amaryllis told him where she was going before she left, but he didn't think she'd bring Luca back with her. He tried to tempt her into joining him in the shower, and she was enticed, but she wanted to speak with Luca.

She saw Luca's body tense up when he noticed Ulric watching them, but thankfully he didn't say anything. "Luca wanted to see where I live," Amaryllis said, addressing his confusion. Ulric nodded and sat down on the couch while Amaryllis gave her brother a tour of their home.

"And this is where I live," she finished when they came to stand in the living room after showing him the full house. "It's a nice place," Luca said as he looked around.

"Thank you," she said. Ulric stood up from the couch and approached his mate. He placed his hand on her waist and kissed the top of her head. "I'll be back in a few hours, I need to finalize some costs for a new renovation tonight."

"Okay. Have fun, I love you."

"Oh, I wanted to tell you that Marley recently found out she has a brother."

"A brother?"

"Yes, Thierry said she found out shortly after our picnic. I guess her parents had a child before her but abandoned him."

"Oh my gosh, that's awful! How did she find out?"

"Her and Thierry visited her pack last week as you know to finish gathering her things to move her here permanently, and another alpha was visiting the alpha of her pack. They picked up each other scents and recognized each other as siblings."

"Are you serious? That's crazy. Well, is he nice to her? I know her parents abandoned her as well."

"Yes, Marley asked him to visit her. He arrived today and he's staying for the coronation before going back to his pack. I guess he wants to know her as well."

"I'm glad for her, she didn't grow up so well. I'm happy that she has a family now," Amaryllis said.

"I need to leave now, but I thought I would tell you," Ulric said. He kissed her head once more.

"I love you," she replied.

"I love you, too. I'll see you in a little bit."

Amaryllis looked at Luca as Ulric left. He had an awkward expression in his face. "What?"

"I'm not used to seeing my little sister be kissed, that's all."

Amaryllis rolled her eyes at him but laughed because it was true. "Do you want to meet my friend Marley? She's Ulric's friend Thierry's mate," Amaryllis asked. She wanted to introduce her brother to her best friend.

"Sure," Luca said.

When they arrived at the door to Thierry and Marley's quarters, she knocked on the door, waiting for Marley to greet them. "Hi!" Marley beamed when she opened the door. "Come in."

"Marley, this is my brother Luca. And Luca this is my friend Marley."

Luca reached his hand out to shake Marley's. "Hi," he said. He was much more cordial with Marley than he had been with Ulric.

"Hi, Luca! How are you!"

"I'm doing alright, still trying to get used to things," he said. Marley nodded her head, realizing it would be a bit difficult for him to see his sister's new life.

"So, did you hear the news?"

"Yes, it's so exciting, Marley! Ulric said he was coming to visit you today, is he here yet?"

"Yes, he's just in the bathroom."

Amaryllis walked further into their home to see Thierry sitting on the couch. She greeted him and introduced her brother to him. Luca was wary of Thierry, but not to the extent he was of Ulric.

Amaryllis looked up when she heard the jiggle of a door handle. The door swung open and a handsome man walked from the bathroom. He looked similar to Marley, but not in a feminine way. He had the same dark brown, almost black colored hair like her and he had the same hazel eyes. They were definitely siblings. She felt like she and Luca didn't resemble each other at all, but Marley and this man looked very similar.

What surprised her was the way he stared at her brother. He paid no attention to anyone else in the room except to Luca. Oddly enough, Luca's eyes didn't falter from the man's either. The man kept walking toward Luca, his gaze traveling up and down Luca's body as he did.

She looked at Marley and Thierry and they both seemed as confused as she did. Amaryllis was just about to ask the man what was happening when the words "mine," poured from his mouth.

Luca seemed to snap out of the daze he was in and looked around the room in confusion before his eyes landed back on the man. "What? What's happening?"

The man stopped in front of Luca and there was an obvious height difference between the two. The man was probably two or three inches taller than her brother and he had a muscular physique.

"You are my mate," the man said. He reached up to cup Luca's face and his thumb rubbed across his cheekbone.

Amaryllis's mouth dropped to the floor. She was beyond shocked. She had absolutely no intention of her brother finding a mate today, nor did she know her brother liked men.

"I'm not your mate," Luca said and pulled away from the other man's touch. "I'm not gay." When Luca pulled away from the other man, she could see the other man tried to keep a stoic face, but his eyes revealed the betrayal and anger he felt.

"What is your name?" The man asked.

"Luca."

"Luca, I'm Darrien. You may not be gay, but you aren't straight either, Luca. Soul mates are perfect for each other. If you weren't attracted to men, then this wouldn't be happening."

Luca looked over at Amaryllis and the apples of his cheeks were red. He looked bewildered and embarrassed. "Luca," Amaryllis said softly. "You don't have to be afraid to admit it. No one's going to judge you. It's not worth trying to fight a mate bond."

Luca turned back to look at Darrien and shook his head. "I'm not gay." Then he turned to Amaryllis and requested they go back to his suite. "Luca, I don't think that's a good idea. I think you should speak with him," Marley interjected. Her and Thierry had been silent the whole time.

"I want to go back!" Luca said, his voice rising.

Just as Luca was about to take a step toward the door, Darrien reached out and grabbed Luca by the waist, hauling his smaller body over his shoulder. Darrien then left through the front entrance all the while Luca screamed expletives at him.

"Should I go check on them?" She asked Marley, worried about her brother.

Marley shook her head. "They're mates. Darrien would never hurt him." Marley's approval eased her anxiety about the situation.

"I didn't know Luca was attracted to men," She said.

"Maybe he was just afraid to tell your family," Marley replied. It was most likely true, but still. She and Luca used to be so close, it kind of hurt her that he didn't tell her something like that.

"Same-sex mate-ships aren't common, mainly because of the reproduction aspect, but no one judges them either. Your soul mate is your perfect match, and everyone deserves their soul mate," Thierry said.

"I'm just a little confused about why Luca has a mate, too. I knew human mates were rare, but it's strange that both Luca and I have mates."

"Maybe he's not human," Marley teased with a waggle of her eyebrows.

"Yeah, maybe." Amaryllis laughed.

Back at her and Ulric's quarters, Amaryllis sat on a bar stool in the kitchen, thinking about Luca. She was worried about him. And she was worried about meeting Ulric's family the next day before her coronation. And she was worried about her coronation. Her mind needed a break. Hopefully, Ulric would come back soon to distract her.

A knock at the door pulled her away from her thoughts and she pulled herself off the barstool to see who was there. When she opened the door, she was met with a red-eyed, puffy-faced Luca.

"Luca, what happened?" Amaryllis exclaimed, opening her arms up for her brother. "Did he hurt you?"

"No," Luca said as he hugged his sister.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He nodded his head but didn't say anything. "Do you need a minute first?" He nodded his head once more.

Luca pulled away after a few minutes of Amaryllis stroking her hand up and down his back. She led him to the couch to have a seat.

"He took me down the hall to some storage closet," Luca started. "He didn't even say anything, he just stared at me while I screamed at him."

He walked toward me after I finally stopped yelling. He reached his hand out, but I leaned back so he couldn't touch me. Unfortunately, my head knocked against the wall and stopped my movement.

His calloused hand made contact with my throat, and an explosion of sparks and tingles broke out on my skin. His touch felt nice.

"That will be the only time I let you speak to me like that, Luca" Darrien said. I wasn't sure exactly what he meant, but I gulped, thinking about the underlying threat in his voice. He was an alpha, so he was big on control, I knew that.

Darrien's rough hand placed a little bit more pressure on my throat. I couldn't help but start feeling... things... at his touch. My dick started to get a little excited.

"Do you know what a mate is?" Darrien asked. I nodded my head. I knew what mates were, most humans were aware of the concept. Maybe not my sister until she came here, but I knew what they were. The only thing I didn't know was that humans could be mated to a werewolf or vampire. So it was odd that both me and my sister had mates.

"Then why are you trying to resist the mate bond, resist me?" He asked.

"I'm not gay," I said, but the tension in my pants contradicted that point.

"Your arousal in the air doesn't seem to coincide with that statement," he said. My face heated up. How could he sense it?

"There's no shame in admitting it."

I stated at Darrien as his finger rubbed up and down my jugular vein. He was extremely attractive. The most attractive man and person I'd ever seen. His dark hair was almost as black as the night sky and his eyes were a warm shade of hazel. He was muscular and strong, evident from the way his t-shirt wrapped around his biceps. The scarring that decorated his arms only added to the appeal.

"I'm not..." I trailed off, not even being able to believe my own lie.

"Not what?" Darrien pushed.

"Not... straight."

A smile graced Darrien's face and I thought I might die on the spot. He was gorgeous. "Was it so hard?"

I gulped and shook my head, thinking about the thing that was hard. Darrien stepped closer to me and this time I didn't try to back away. Up close I could see how much taller he was than me. I stood at six feet tall and he was about two or three inches taller than me.

My heartbeat was erratic and I was sure he could hear it, with his werewolf abilities and all. One of his hands reached up to touch my cheek and the other wrapped around my arm to hold me in place. Then his face started getting closer and closer, his lips descending.

His dark red lips touched mine and I couldn't help but gasp at the feeling of it. I'd kissed girls before, but never a guy. He slid his tongue into my mouth when my lips parted slightly and I moaned loudly. I should've been embarrassed, but I really didn't care.

"Luca, then why were you crying when you came here?"

"Because after he kissed me, I panicked a little and told him I had to leave to eat with mom and dad. And then on the way back to the suite, I thought about telling mom and dad and I panicked again because I'm scared at how they will react. So I started crying thinking about it because it's a lot to take in all at once. I didn't even truly accept the fact that I liked guys until today," Luca said and Amaryllis could feel him getting worked up again.

She scooted closer to him and wrapped her arms around him again. "It's going to be okay, Luca." She whispered.

"How do you know that? They weren't happy when they found out about you and the king. They're not going to like when they find this out."

"Well, they eventually came around to the idea. Maybe they aren't thrilled, but they haven't exiled me from their lives. It'll be okay," she assured.

"Luca, why didn't you ever tell me you were gay?" Amaryllis asked.

"I wanted to, I know we used to tell each over everything. But I didn't even accept it for myself until literally today. I always knew I guess, but I never wanted to admit it because I was afraid. The few girlfriends I had were just cover-ups because I was afraid mom and dad would find out and because I tried to force myself into liking them. It didn't work."

"I'm sorry that you had to hide it for so long. From yourself and from us."

Luca winced a bit as he felt an achy ness in his bones. "Are you okay?" His sister asked.

"Yeah, just a cramp," he responded, but that was a lie.

He'd been feeling weird lately. Around the time Amaryllis left he started feeling these odd sensations. He felt much more energetic, much more aggressive, and much more hungry for the past few months. He even started working out, mainly because it helped him to release the pent up aggression he had been feeling. Not only was he working out though, but Luca also noticed his body was just changing on its own and developing more muscle.

He started spending the days and nights outside. It was like he had an affinity toward nature now, something he never had before. He was especially enamored with full moons and he didn't understand why. Sure, he always thought they were cool to look at, but now they drew him in, spoke to him almost.

The newest occurrence of the weirdness was the pains he'd started feeling a few days ago. They were short bursts of aches deep in his bones. He couldn't pinpoint exactly where the pain was coming from as it seemed to happen all throughout his body at once.

That was another reason for his crying when he came to Amaryllis. He wasn't sure what was happening to him. He didn't pay it much attention when it first started happening because he liked the effects of it, but now it was causing him pain and he was growing fearful.

The final reason he was crying was that something deep inside him was pulling him toward Darrien. While it was sort of a physical pull, something was telling him that he needed Darrien, needed to be around him, needed to be touched by him. When Darrien did touch him, Luca felt a frenzy of tingles and the feeling inside of him was finally satisfied. He didn't understand it and with everything else going on, he was just overwhelmed.

The two looked up when the front door was pushed open. Ulric and all of his handsomeness walked in. "Hi, baby," Amaryllis greeted as he walked over to her.

"Hi, beautiful," he said and kissed her forehead.

Luca stood up from the couch and rearranged his shirt that had been pulled to the side from the way he had hugged Amaryllis. "Well, I better get going. Thank you, Amaryllis."

"You better let me know what happens," she said, talking about Darrien. Luca's cheeks turned pink and he nodded his head.

Luca cleared his throat and looked toward Ulric. "Ah, King Ulric?"

Ulric looked up from the mate mark on Amaryllis's neck that he had been staring at and looked at her brother.

"I wanted to apologize for my attitude earlier. It was wrong of me," Luca said, now having more of an understanding and experience with mates. He felt guilty for shaming him and his sister for being together.

"Did you apologize to Amaryllis?"

"Yes," Luca said with a nod of his head.

"Then that's all that matters," Ulric stated.

"Ulric," Amaryllis groaned at his rudeness. "He's trying to apologize." She elbowed him in the stomach.

Ulric clenched his teeth and glared at her before looking at Luca again. "Thank you." Luca smiled lightly and headed for the front door. When he left, Amaryllis turned to Ulric.

"Is it so hard to accept an apology?" Ulric only glared at her, but a big smile stretched across her face before she jumped into his lap and hugged him. Ulric's arms came up behind her back to play with her hair.